Mia recognized the familiar document before her and instantly understood its implications."I've told you before, I don't want anything," she firmly stated.She genuinely had no interest in Timothy's assets.Timothy's brows furrowed in frustration. "I don't have time for games," he snapped."Timothy, I'm not playing games. I meant every word I said," Mia responded earnestly, holding his gaze. "You expressed your disdain for being coerced into marriage. Perhaps my initial feelings were misguided.""Consider this my way of making amends for any distress I may have caused you over the past three years." she continued. "I don't want any financial obligations. I would rather walk away with nothing." Timothy snapped back. Timothy lowered his hand from his temple, locking eyes with Mia's calm, almond-shaped eyes—a look that radiated unwavering tranquility.He firmly placed the document between them. "No, it's my responsibility. I won't stoop so low as to withhold from someone who on
"Martha, I'm okay. I get that he's swamped with work," Mia replied, attempting to maintain a facade of normalcy.Later that evening, she spent some time with her prenatal instructor, immersing herself in the essential aspects of pregnancy—a realm that demanded her immediate attention.Moreover, she desired to push certain thoughts to the back of her mind.However, the following day, as Mia scrolled through the news, a headline caught her attention: "Affluent heiress Maya and her beau spotted dining and ring shopping."A wave of desolation washed over Mia.Even without a clear view of their faces, Mia could discern from the silhouette that it was Timothy with Maya.Remarkably, merely a day after Mia and Timothy filed for divorce, he was already with Maya at a jewelry store in the evening, choosing a ring.The speed of their actions caught Mia off guard.Choosing to divert her thoughts, Mia turned off her phone and immersed herself in learning about pregnancy.With no afternoon
Maya's sudden approach caught Mia off guard, sending a ripple of discomfort through her.What move could Maya attempt to pull off next? Mia withdrew her arm with a cold expression, suggesting some distance might be wise."Even if you and Tim part ways, there's no reason we can't remain amicable," Maya retorted.A glint of irony lit up Mia's eyes as she remarked, "Ms. Lane, have you ever seen someone befriend the 'other woman'?"At the mention of "the other woman," Maya's expression instantly darkened.However, under the watchful eyes of Timothy and Grandma Laura, Maya swiftly shifted to feigned vulnerability. "Mia, why the animosity? I truly desire harmony among us all."Without missing a beat, Sharon jumped to Maya's defense, casting a reproachful glance at Mia."Mia, have you no shame? Look at Mia's generosity. Who are you to label her as 'the other woman'?" Sharon reprimanded. "Had you not intervened, Maya might have been my daughter-in-law by now. Imagine, three years ha
As Mia geared up for some much-needed rest, the unmistakable click of Wilhelmina's heels echoed through the room.Without hesitation, Wilhelmina handed Mia a document and instructed, "Please ensure this reaches its designated destination. Should the client express dissatisfaction, take the necessary steps to make replacements." Mia skimmed the contents of the file before questioning, "Isn't this something you should be handling?"Wilhelmina retorted, "Indeed, it falls under my responsibilities. However, urgent matters demand my attention at the moment.""Besides, considering you've been on duty throughout the entire weekend, it seems fitting for you to manage this. We can't have someone merely drawing a salary without contributing, can we?" she said snidely.With that, Wilhelmina briskly departed.Mia sighed softly, thinking that once she completed this assignment, she could finally head home and rest.She sipped from a cup of warm water, feeling its warmth spread through her,
Spotting that familiar figure from behind, Mia initially doubted her own eyes.Why would Timothy be here?Maya approached him cheerfully and quipped, "Tim, what brings you here today?"Timothy, clad in a sharp dark suit, was surrounded by a group of individuals who stood with a sense of formality and order.Timothy remained impassive toward Maya. As Timothy's gaze wandered past her, he caught sight of Mia, and a hint of confusion shadowed his expression. Quick to explain, Maya said, "I've been considering a home renovation, and Ms. Bowen's design studio is renowned for its expertise.""Though I enlisted her services, I didn't anticipate her making a personal visit today," she quickly added. Shelly directed Mia, "Mia, why are you lingering outside? Come in and help us with the selection."Steeling herself, Mia approached, deliberately avoiding eye contact with Timothy. Maintaining professionalism, Mia inquired, "Ms. Lane, what specifications are you seeking in a mattress?"
Timothy's voice adopted a chilling edge. "Why risk your well-being for work?"As Mia took a few steps, her vision blurred, and she collapsed.Instinctively, she braced for a hard impact, but just before hitting the ground, a pair of arms caught her. She was pulled into an embrace that felt both familiar and distant.Struggling to focus, Mia found it difficult to discern the face above her.Timothy gently held Mia, deeply alarmed by the cold sweat that covered her and the evident paleness that had washed over her lips.His eyes narrowed with concern, and without a second thought, he swiftly carried her out of the mall.Maya hurried to catch up, calling out urgently, "Tim!"However, she was a moment too late, and the elevator doors shut, leaving her behind.A scowl darkened Maya's face. "Do you think Mia orchestrated this?" she asked.Shelly caught up, remarking, "It's quite suspicious. Just moments ago, Mia seemed fine, and now she suddenly collapsed, conveniently ending up in
Mia looked at Timothy as he drew near, their noses meeting in an unexpected moment.Caught off guard, she struggled to comprehend Timothy's intentions.In the ensuing moment, Timothy asked in a soft tone, "Do you feel the temperature difference?"Blinking in response, Mia realized his forehead felt as cool as ice.Suddenly, a cough echoed from the side, breaking the tension. "Ahem, be mindful of where you are. This is a hospital," a stern voice reminded them.Timothy quickly composed himself, and Mia, feeling a rush of embarrassment, hastily pulled the blanket over her face.Genevieve, the nurse, addressed the pair, "The patient's family members can wait outside. Those who haven't registered should do so before proceeding."Mia cautiously observed Timothy's departing footsteps through the gap in the blanket, letting out a sigh of relief only when he was out of sight.Finally, he had left.Quietly retracting the blanket, Mia whispered to Genevieve, "Honestly, I'm fine. There's
Connor's attention shifted from Timothy to Mia lying on the bed, a flicker of suspicion igniting within him.Could the child be Timothy's?Timothy's recurring involvement with the Lane family women only deepened Connor's speculations.Avoiding Connor's penetrating gaze, Mia pleaded softly, "Please prescribe a fever-reducing medication for me. However, given my condition, there are specific drugs I can't take. Please be mindful."Her hushed plea served as a subtle reminder to Connor about her pregnancy, stressing the need for discretion in Timothy's presence.Pushing aside his swirling thoughts, Connor turned to Genevieve, "Prepare the prescription and the necessary medication.""Shouldn't she have an IV drip?" Timothy interjected, shooting a perplexed glance.Annoyed, Connor replied, "IV drips can sometimes do more harm than good.""But her fever is alarmingly high," Timothy countered.Meeting Timothy's challenge with a steely gaze, Connor retorted, "Are you the attending doct
None of the major shareholders was a fool.After that, Mia was busy handling Barrett Group affairs and barely had time to rest.With an exhausted look, she returned to the hospital.Mia looked at Timothy and said, "I'll run away if you don't wake up soon.""No… Please don't go…" Timothy grabbed her hand. His gaze was deep.Mia's eyes reddened as she gazed at the man who had just regained consciousness. Timothy finally came out of his coma.After that, everything was back to normal. Those who caused trouble quieted down.Sharon visited Timothy and told him that she was going to settle down overseas and would not come back anymore.Timothy bought her a property and gave her a huge sum of money before sending her away from Bern City.As for Maya, it was discovered that she was not the granddaughter of the Prime Minister of Yellow Island but merely his caregiver. Yet, she had been deceiving people outside.After Maya was exposed, she ran away dejectedly. Nobody knew where she was
Sage stood beside Timothy in silence.Soon, news that Timothy was hospitalized spread, and Barrett Group's stock plunged.The relatives of the Barrett family requested to hold a board meeting to elect another CEO.On the day of the board meeting, Mia brought her two children to Barrett Group.They managed to keep everyone on a leash as Sage bore a striking resemblance to Timothy.Mia marched into the meeting room, sat in Timothy's chair, and glanced at everyone present. "Let's begin. Didn't you all want to have a meeting?"One of the middle-aged men said, "Ms. Lane, this is the Barrett Group board meeting. It's not appropriate for you to be here.""That's right. Though the kids are Mr. Barrett's children, they're still young and do not have any shares. You all shouldn't be here."Mia flung a document onto the table. "This is an agreement signed by Grandma Laura to authorize me to manage Timothy's shares.""Anyway, we still need to elect a CEO to handle our company affairs.""
"Because to me, you're my family too," Timothy said.When Sharon heard the word 'family', her eyes turned red. Then, she turned around and left the ward.Mia walked out and asked Peyton to send Sharon to the hospital for a checkup.Looking at Sharon's back, Mia said, "I hope you don't let him down since he regards you as his family. He's the only one you can depend on now."Sharon did not turn her head around. Mia did not know if Sharon would listen to her advice.Mia immediately called her brother. "Dominic, I met Maya."She then told him everything about Maya.Dominic frowned. "I never thought she would go to Yellow Island.""Do you think she's really the granddaughter of the Prime Minister of Yellow Island?""Don't you know how good she is at lying?" Dominic said.Mia nodded. "Yeah, you're right. But I still don't know whether she's related to Yellow Island.""Don't worry, I'll find out."When Mia returned to the ward after ending the call, she saw a doctor bustling arou
Mia went straight to the hospital to ask Timothy about the matter.But when she arrived, someone had reached there earlier than her."Timothy, what do you mean? All I did was pull a few strings, but you want to humiliate me publicly. How am I going to maintain my standing in the company?" Sharon said.Mia went in with a frown. "This is funny. It's not just about pulling a few strings, but it's aimed at me. Mrs. Barrett, your actions have leaked confidential commercial information.""Stop trying to scare me. It's my son who opened doors for you. It's the Yellow Islanders who wanted to collaborate with us, and they are much better than you," Sharon retorted. Mia said with a half-hearted smile, "At first, I didn't want to pursue this matter. But since you put it this way, wait for my lawyer's letter then.""Such big talk, huh?" A mysterious-looking woman wearing a hat and a mask walked in from outside.Mia felt that the woman looked somewhat familiar. "Are you the rumored granddau
Mia glanced at the person on the screen. Without answering the woman, she turned off the laptop.After all, there was no need for Mia to explain anything.After Mia turned off the laptop assertively, she turned around and looked at Timothy. He did not say a word but started eating.Soon, Heath received a call. He left the ward and said to the woman on the other side of the phone, "She's Mr. Barrett's ex-wife. You'd better not mess with her."While Timothy was eating, Mia finished reading the proposal in her hand.She had to admit that the document was very valuable.Mia was about to leave the ward when Timothy almost finished eating, but his voice sounded behind her. "What did you say when you met her at the cafe earlier?""Did you follow me?""I followed her, to be exact. After all, the Hopkins are not good people."Mia totally agreed with that.She paused briefly before she said, "Grandma Laura asked me to talk to her because she doesn't agree with you about giving her all
"You don't know anything," Sharon said.Mia retorted, "I might not know everything, but Timothy is innocent. Before he knew the truth, he always regarded you as his mother. Even after he found out the truth, he has never mistreated you."Besides, when you said you wanted the Barrett family's wealth, he agreed. Tell me, who else could do what he did?"Mia felt that Timothy might have been hurt by Sharon's words.He seemed impressive on the outside, but his identity was a dark secret.Therefore, his relationship with Sharon became awkward.Sharon's eyes reddened. "But I also treat him like my biological son.""You're also his foster mother. Now everyone related to him is dead, and you're the only one he has. What are you afraid of?"Sharon wiped off her tears. "I'm not afraid of anything. It's just that I felt that I can't trust anyone.""Timothy is a man of his word. However, Grandma Laura said that if you remain stubborn, making the will public is her only option," Mia said.
Mia noticed Sharon's expression changing slightly when she mentioned Laura.Sharon took her cup of coffee and said, "What? Does Mrs. Barrett Senior still want to lecture me even when she's on her deathbed? She must have known Timothy's identity all along, but she conspired with her son to keep the truth from me. "She and the Barretts are birds of a feather. What else does she have to say?"Mia was not surprised by her words. She had expected that Sharon would certainly think this way.Fortunately, she managed to stop Laura when she said she wanted to meet Sharon.Sharon was emotionally unstable now. What if Laura said something unpleasant and Sharon retorted? Her words might upset Laura.Mia took a kraft envelope out of her handbag and placed it in front of Sharon. "I hope you won't regret saying those words after reading this.""What's this?""This is the will that your husband left behind, as well as the divorce agreement."Hearing that, Sharon quickly took the document out
Mia hesitated to risk exposing Laura to Sharon's potential agitation.Due to Sharon's emotional vulnerability, she often spoke impulsively. With Laura's delicate health in mind, any disruption was simply out of the question.As Laura recounted past events, Mia remained silent, absorbing her words.Upon hearing Laura's story, Mia was taken aback. She hadn't expected there to be hidden aspects to Timothy's family history.Taking a moment, she asked, "Does Timothy have any knowledge of this?""He doesn't. Some things are best kept from him," Laura replied calmly.Mia harbored some lingering questions in her mind. Unable to suppress them any longer, she asked, "Considering your knowledge of Timothy's background, what is your opinion of him?""Tim is a commendable young man, and he has never let our family down. He has achieved remarkably well for himself. To be honest, I feel indebted to him as well."At first, I only kept him around for the sake of preserving the Barrett family li
Despite her initial reluctance, Mia eventually found herself making her way to Timothy's ward.As she entered, she couldn't help but notice Timothy's expressionless demeanor as he lay there.Carrying a tray of food, Mia approached him. "The doctor pointed out your extreme fatigue. It's crucial that you increase your food intake and prioritize proper rest to reduce the risk of sudden complications."Upon hearing Mia's voice, Timothy lifted his gaze to find her seated beside him. His lips moved slightly as he asked, "What did you tell Luna?""Not much," Mia responded. "Just a sprinkle of salt on the wound and a dash of psychological pressure to make sure Luna doesn't have it easy in prison."Placing the tray of food in front of him, Mia urged, "Please, just a few bites.""I'll eat later. By the way, the kids have been here at the hospital for quite a while. You should take them home," Timothy suggested.Frowning, Mia insisted, "You should eat something first."As her words faded,